1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a connector designed to prevent an intermediate portion of a retainer from warping.
2. Description of the Related Art
U.S. Pat. No. 6,371,818 and FIGS. 10(A) to 10(C) show a connector with a retainer to prevent withdrawal of terminal fittings. With reference to FIGS. 10(A) to 10(C), the connector has a housing 1 with a bottom wall. A retainer insertion hole 2 is formed in the bottom wall for receiving a retainer 3 in a direction normal to an inserting direction of terminal fittings. This retainer 3 is held initially at a partial locking position where insertion of the terminal fittings into cavities 1a is possible. The retainer 3 then is pushed to a full locking position after the terminal fittings have been inserted. Thus, locking projections 3a of the retainer 3 engage the terminal fittings to prevent the withdrawal of the terminal fittings.
The retainer 3 is held at the full locking position by the engagement of end locks 3b of the retainer 3 with the opposite ends of the retainer insertion hole 2. However, the housing 1 has many cavities 1a arranged side by side in widthwise direction, but only at a small number of stages. Thus, the retainer 3 is long and narrow, and a middle portion of the retainer 3 may warp away from the housing 1 at the full locking position due to an insufficient rigidity. Accordingly, a locking function for the terminal fittings may be insufficient. To offset this problem, intermediate locks 5 are set in an intermediate portion of the retainer 3 and intermediate receiving portions 1b are provided in the housing 1. As a result, the retainer 3 is prevented from warping away from the housing 1 at a middle position of the retainer 3. However, the intermediate locks 5 and the intermediate receiving portions 5 complicate efforts to provide a wide housing with cavities at narrow intervals.
The invention was developed in view of the above problems and an object is to provide a narrow, wide connector that prevents an intermediate portion of the retainer from warping.
The invention relates to a connector with a housing. Cavities are formed in the housing and are configured for accommodating terminal fittings. The cavities are arranged over a longer distance in widthwise direction than in height direction. A retainer mount hole is formed in the housing and communicates with the cavities. A retainer is movable in the retainer mount hole from a first position where insertion of the terminal fittings is permitted to a second position where the terminal fittings are locked. The retainer is locked at least at the second position by locking means at opposite side surfaces of the retainer and the retainer mount hole. A lock arm is provided on a surface of the housing to lock the connector to a mating connector. The cavities are arranged at fewer stages in a forming area of the lock arm than in other neighboring areas. The retainer includes an intermediate portion substantially corresponding to the forming area of the lock arm. Additionally, partition walls overlap opposite side surfaces of a recess in the housing at the forming area of the lock arm when the retainer is at the second position. Engaging means are provided at the overlapping portions for locking the intermediate portion of the retainer.
The intermediate portion of the retainer is engageable with the recess of the housing. Thus, the retainer is locked securely at the second position and very little special space is required for locking in the widthwise and height directions. Accordingly, the retainer will not warp and the connector is made smaller.
The retainer preferably includes partition walls insertable to positions substantially between the respective cavities excluding an intermediate portion corresponding to the forming area of the lock arm.
The retainer mount hole preferably is in the bottom surface of the housing and extends in a widthwise direction.
The second position preferably is reached by inserting the retainer deeper in a mounting direction for holding the terminal fittings by locking sections on the retainer.
The lock arm preferably is at a widthwise middle on the upper surface of the housing, and the recess preferably is recessed from the upper surface of the housing toward the bottom surface of the housing.
The engaging means may include locking projections that project toward the opposite partition walls from the inner surfaces of the partition walls adjacent to the opposite sides of the intermediate portion and slits formed in opposite sides of the recessed portion. The locking projections engage resiliently with the slits when the retainer is at the second locking position. With this arrangement, the intermediate portion of the retainer is locked securely by resiliently engaging the locking projections with the slits and the engaging means has a simple construction.
The housing may have cavities at upper and lower stages, but only at one stage in the intermediate portion of the housing. The intermediate portion of the retainer has only a base plate, whereas side portions of the retainer define a lattice shape. Accordingly, the intermediate portion of the retainer is less rigid and more likely to warp. However, such warping is prevented by the engaging means in the intermediate portion to lock and fix the retainer.
The slits preferably are formed in substantially opposite side surfaces of the recess and correspond to the locking projections. The slits provide communication between the retainer mount hole and clearances between the lock arm and the side surfaces.
The retainer may have a plurality of partition walls coupled into a lattice shape by coupling plates at substantially opposite sides.
Most preferably, the retainer comprises locking means for locking the retainer in the first position.
These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent upon reading of the following detailed description of preferred embodiments and accompanying drawings. It should be understood that even though embodiments are separately described, single features thereof may be combined to additional embodiments.